By Steven Kubitza

Known as Douggy, Chris Douglas is an aspiring musician in the hip-hop world.“Music is really my life. If I’m not talking about music I’m working on music,” Douggy said at Grumpy Dave’s in downtown Bowling Green just two hours before he was scheduled to perform.

Douggy came to Bowling Green State University via Chicago, and has found a musical footing by performing each Saturday night at Grumpy Dave’s as part of a show called “The Movement.”

With a style self-described as “violently chill,” he has gained respect for both his music and his personality.

“No matter who is in the crowd, no matter who shows up or how he is feeling, he is going to shut it down and give the best show he can,” said Jay Haynes, a fellow rapper who is featured on Saturday’s at Grumpy Dave’s.

I stood in the crowd on one of those Saturday nights, just left of the stage, watching as Douggy put on a show for an audience of fewer than 30 people.

From the way he moved around stage and engaged the crowd with a simple move of his hand, it did not seem like he was rapping to such a meager audience.

Nick Edwards, a recent BGSU graduate, is Douggy’s manager and was impressed meeting him for the first time.

“I thought he was somebody who could carry himself well and knew what he wanted to do, and he was going to take those steps to get to where he wanted to be,” Edwards said.

Where Douggy wants to be after graduation is on tour, where life becomes a fight to become and stay relevant.

He says he knows life on tour will be a struggle at times, but he speaks of it as when it will happen, and not if it will.

His calm demeanor and focus on his plans brings out the inner confidence also seen on stage.

“A lot of people are here just for the fun,” Douggy said. “They just want to make music that’s cool for right now and have people jump around right now. I want to have something that’s timeless.”

Douggy looked at music as more of a hobby than a profession when he began high school in Chicago.

That changed in the 10th grade when he and a friend decided to take things more seriously.

“If we perfect this and we take it to the nth degree, then we could really get somewhere with what we are trying to accomplish,” Douggy said, remembering talks with his friend back in high school.

A quick look at Douggy’s SoundCloud page shows how the number of people listening to his songs has increased with every new release.

Those listening are sure to note Douggy’s style. Edwards said Douggy can “write a song that will tell a story,” while Haynes described the music as “a static flow” with no real skeleton.

This style is not copied from any one source, but he draws influence from artists such as Kanye West and Jay-Z. A smile appeared on Douggy’s face as soon as I mentioned West, which led to a passionate explanation of his admiration for the artist who is often mocked in mainstream media.

“I ask myself every day if I really want this or not and I continually say I do,” Douggy said. “Struggles with money will come and struggles with getting out there will come, but it really boils down to, to stay motivated, whether you really want it or not. Because if you want it hard enough and you are going to do whatever it takes to get to the point that you want, nothing is going to stop you.”

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